Door-operating mechanism



A. CAMPBELL. DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- !7 l92 l A. CAMPBELL.

DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION HLED 0CT.17, 1921.

Patented June 6, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARGYLE CAMPBELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ENTERPRISE RAILWAY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

DOOR-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 6, 1922,

7 Application filed October 17, 1921. Serial No. 508,318.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARGYLE CA PBELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in thecounty of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Door-Operating Mechanisms, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description,-

character above indicated of the link type,,

the parts being so arranged that,"when moved to closed or operative position, certain of the parts move into shouldered engagement in such manner and at such a point as to relieve the operating shaft of torsional stresses, while the door is under load, to the end'that the danger of the mechanism becoming open or unlocked during transit of the car, is reduced to a minimum.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1' is a vertical sectional view taken lengthwise of a ho-pper car in a plane to one side of the center sill construction and illustrating my improvements in connection therewith, the parts being shown in the position assumed when the door is closed. Fig. 2 is a vertical transversesectional View of the hopper car on a line corresponding to the section line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

a little more than one-half of the-width of the car being. disclosed. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view corresponding substantially to the section line 3-3 of Fig. 2, And Fig. 4 is a broken side elevational view of the end of the operating shaft showing -a safety arrangement employed in connec-.

each hopper is defined by a sloping bottom hopper sheet 10, a vertical inner side hopper sheet 11, an outer inwardly sloping side hopper sheet 12 and a part of the transverse ridge as indicated at 13 in Fig. 1. The opening of the hopper is adapted to be closed by a hopper door indicated at 14, the same being hinged to the under side of the ridge sheet 13 as by means of the hinge butts 15, thus adapting the door to swing about its upper edge on an axis extending transversely of the car. As customary on this type of cars, the two doors of the transversely alined pair of hoppers are adapted to be operated simultaneously and to this end a cross-brace is secured near the free edges of the doors near their lower ends, as indicated at 16, it being understood that said cross-brace passes from one door to the other below, and bridging the space between the center sill construction.

In, carrying out my invention, I employ a transversely extending horizontal operating shaft. 17 mounted in suitable bearing castings 18-18 secured to the under side of the hopper bottom sheet 10. Said shaft 17 is extended to one side of the car only where it is provided with a safety device as herein after described. The other end of the shaft terminates just beyond the plane of the far side of the center sill construction, the shaft being mounted in an end thrust journal bearing as indicated at 18 in Fig. 2.

Applied to the shaft 17 at a point thereon beneath the center sill construction shown at 19-19 is a hub casting designated generally by the reference A. Said hub casting is slipped overtheshaft and held rigidly therewith against rotation preferably by means of noncircular formation of the shaft and opening in the hub casting, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The hub casting A may be held against longitudinal movement with respect to the casting 17 by any suitable means such as the bent key 20 shown in Fig. 2. The hub casting A has integrally formed therewith, a radially extending arm consisting of two laterally separated side flanges 21-21 and a web 22 uniting the same. The flanges 21 are suitably braced as by the triangular flanges 21 -21' shown in Fig. 2. As best shown in Fig. '3, the web 22 first extends radially with respect to the shaft as indicated at 22" and is then deflected outwardly and slightly away from the shaft with a slight curvature as-indicated at 22 is then continued outwardly as indicated at in a notch 24 formed in the hub A, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. At its end adjacent the door, the link B' is forked. as shown at 25--25, the forks being perforated to accommodate a heavy'pivot pin 26 which connects I .it to the eyebolt. 27, the latter in turn being rigidly, but adj ustably secured to the pair of doors, by means'o f the cross-brace 16. l

At its opposite end, the link B has a rounded terminus as indicated at 28, which I is perforated to accommodate a heavy pivot pin 29 that connects it to the correspondingly perforated ends of the flanges 21, the link B fitting between the flanges 21-as clearly-shown in the drawing. The link B is provided also with a radial shoulder 30 on its upper side which is adapted to engage with the shoulder forming flange 22 at the end of thefull opening movement of the door to thereby limit the relative swinging movementsofthe link B and'arm of the hub A and prevent. the pivotal connection from 35 falling down below a predetermined point.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 3, it

will be seen that the link B is provided also with a shoulder 31 on its under side which is concentric with the axis of the pivotal connection between the link B and the arm from the shaft hub but on a relatively long radius, said shoulder 31 engaging with the corresponding shoulder defined by the section 22" of the web of the hub arm. The

link B also has'a-straight edge. 32 adapted to lie on the section 22? of the web.

Referring to Figs; '1 and 3 of the drawing,

' it will'be noted that the axis of the, pivotal connection between the link B and-"the arm from the hub A is below 'a-lline'passing through the pivotal connection "ofthe link B with the door-(the eyebolt 27) and the center of. the shaft 17,," Thisin itself would provide a' self lockin'g feature 'for, the mechanism Such thati'when .1P 1ll" is exerted on the link Bbe'c'ause ofload on the door, the

pull would in turn be transmitted to the shaft beyond the center and hence, eliminate tendency of the shaft to rptate in an opening direction. However,.it will be noted that the factor of safety of this self-locking feature just described-is limited by 'practi I cal considerations since the pivotal connection at 28 cannot be swung more than a relatively small distance beyond the line passing through the pivotal connection at 26 and the center of the shaft because the pivotal connection at 28 then begins to move toward the door and would allow it to open and discharge material. With such an arrangement as just referred to, there is danger of the mechanism opening during transit of the car by reason of the vibration and jarring which occurs and may be suflicient to swing the point of pivotal connection above the line of pull from the door., There is also another objection in that, in such a construction as just described, the pull is on the pivot pin, placing it under shear and causing rapid wear thereof.

In my arrangement, in actual practice, the pivot pin 29 is left slightly loose within the openings through which it is passed and the load is transferred from the link B to the hub A, through the shoulders 31 and 22 The shoulder 31 is rounded at its lower end as indicated at 31 as is also the corner between the sections 22 and 22 of the web 22 so that, as the link B reaches the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3, the shoulder .31 is adapted to cam down behind the shoulder 22 thus relieving the pivot pin 29 of its pull and transferring it as above described. In this connection it will be noted that the effective point of transference of the pull from the link B to the hub A at the shoulders 31-22 is dropped considerably farther be-.

low the line of pull passing through the center of the shaft than is the. axis of the pivot 29, thus increasing the effectiveness of the self-locking feature very materially, as

will be understood in View of the precedingflattened contour to produce, in. eflect, flat shoulders aflording large, area ofv contact. This effect would not be 'po'ssiblewithshoulw ders struck one "short radius and'increases the effectiveness. 10f the self-locking feature. 1 The. arrangement described consists of a minimum number .of parts and thefactorof safety in'-the selfrlocldng-feature. is made greater than any" typeof" generally similar arrangement heretofor' far as I am awareif. f I

As a precaution against injury to the operator in opening the door, a safety arrangement is appliedat the end of the shaft, the

same being shown-injFigs. 2 and 4. As shown, this safety arrangement com rises an outer hub 33,.-rigidly,secured to t e shaft against rotation and an inner clutch element 84 rotatably mounted on the shaft, the clutch n the art, so-

element 34 having a radial lug 35 working in a spiral groove formed on the interior of the hub 33. The clutch element 34 is provided with a square section 36 adapted to receive a clawbar or other suitable operating tool. As will be understood, shoulders are formed at the ends of the spiral groove within the hub'33 so that a lost motion between the clutch element 34 and the .hub 33, of the desired amount, is obtained. The hub 33 is formed with a series of approximately radially extending shoulders 37 with which is adapted to cooperate a pivoted locking dog 38, the locking dog being held in operative position by. a pivoted cam 39. The cam 39 and the dog 38 are pivotally attached to a bracket casting secured to the hopper sheets, said bracket casting having one of the journal bearings 18 for the shaft formed inte-' an arm rigid therewith and extending therefrom on the side away from the door when the latter is in closed position; a stiff link pivotally connected at one end to said arm and extending across said' shaft when the door is in closed position; means operatively connecting the opposite end of said link to the door; and cooperable shoulders on said link and arm located to one side of a line extendingfrom the effective point of connection with the door through the center of the shaft.

2. In an operating mechanism for a pivoted door, the combination with a shaft rotatable about an axis parallel to the pivotal axis of the door, said shaft having an arm rigid therewith and extending therefrom; of a link pivotally connected at one end to the door and pivotally connected at its other end to said arm, said last named pivotal connection being located below a line passing through the pivotal connection with the door and the center of the shaft when the door is in closed position; and cooperable shoulders on said link and arm, also located to thesame side of said line.

3. In an operating mechanism for a pivoted door the combination with a shaft rotatable aboutan axis parallel to the pivotal axis of the door, said shaft having an armrigid therewith and extending therefrom on the side away from the door when the latter is in closed position; a stiff link pivotallyconnected at one end tosaid arm and extending across said shaft when the door is in closed position; means operatively connectingthe opposite end of said link to the door; and cooperable shoulders on said link and arm located to one side of a line extending from the effective point of connection with the door through the center of the shaft, said shoulders being located nearer the shaft than the pivotal connection between thelink and said arm.

4. In an operating mechanism for a pivoted door, the combination with a shaft rotatable about an axis parallel to the pivotal axis of the door, said shaft having an arm extending radially therefrom and rigid therewith; of a stiff link pivotally connected at one end tosaid arm and extended across said shaft when the door is in closed position; means operatively connecting the opposite end of said link to the door; and cooperable shoulders oh said link and arm, said shoulders and the pivotal connection between the link and the arm being located to the same side of a line extending from the effective point of connection with the door through the center of the shaft. Y

5. In an operating mechanism for a pivoted door, the combination with a shaft rotatable about an axis parallel to the pivotal axis of the door, said shaft having an arm extending radially'therefrom and rigid therewith; of a link pivotally connected to the free-end of said arm; means operatively connecting said link to the door; and cooperable shoulders on said link and arm, said shoulders and the pivotal connection between the link and the arm being located tothe same side of a-line extending from the effective point of connection with the door through the center of'the shaft when the door is in closed position.

6. In a hopper carhaving an inclined sloping hopper bottom sheet and a hopper door pivotally mounted along its upper edge; of an operating shaft extending parallel to the door, said shaft having a radially extending arm rigid and rotatable in unison therewith; and a link pivotally connected at one end to the door and at its opposite end to said arm, said link and arm having shouldered engagement, when the door is closed, at a point intermediate the shaft and the pivotal connection between the link and arm.

7. In a hopper car having a sloping hopper bottom sheet and a hopper door pivotally mounted to swing about its upper edge, the combination with a shaft extending transversely of the car and parallel to the door, said shaft having one end thereof extended to the-side of the car; a lost motion safety operating device associated with said end of the shaft; an arm extending rigidly from the shaft; and a link pivotally connected to the outer end of said arm and to the link and the door.

8. In an operating mechanism for pivoted doors, the combination with an operating shaft provided with an arm extending therefrom and rigid therewith; of means for operatively connecting said arm and the door, said means including a link extended across the shaft and pivotally connected to the free end of said arm, said link andarm having cooperable shoulders substantially concentric with respect to said pivotal connection and located to one side of a line passing through the center of the shaft and said pivotal connection when the door is in closed position.

9. In'an operating mechanism for a pivoted door, the combination with a shaft vrotatable about an axis parallel to the pivotal axis of the door, said shaft having an arm rigid therewith and extending therefrom on the side away from the door when the latter is in closed position; a stiff link pivotally connected at one end to said arm and extending across said shaft when the door is in closed position; means operatively connectingthe' opposite end of said link to the door; and cooperable shoulders on said link and arm located to one side of a line extending from the effective point of connection with the door through the center of the shaft, said cooperable shoulders being located at a considerable distance from the axis of the pivotal connection of the link and arm and having a relatively large area of contact.

' 10. In an operating mechanism for a' piv oted door, the combination with a shaft rotatable about an axis parallel to the pivotal axis of the door, said shaft having an arm extending therefrom; of a link pivotally connected at one en% connected at its ther end to said arm said last named pivotal connection being located to one side of a line passing through the'pivotal connection with the door and the cen-'- ter of the shaft when the .door is in closed position; and cooperable shoulders on said link and arm, also located to the same side of said line, said cooperable shoulders conforming approximately to thearcvof a circle of relatively'long radius from the axis of the pivotal connection-between the linkand arm.

11. In an operating mechanism for a pivoted door, the combination Wlth' a shaft to the door and pivotally rotatable about an axis parallel to the pivotal axis of the door, said shaft having an arm rigid-therewith and extending therefrom on the side away from the door when the latter is in closed position; a stiff link pivotally connected at one end to said arm and extending across said shaft when the door is inclosedposition; means'operatively connecting the opposite end of said link to the door; and cooperable shoulders on said link and arm located to one side of a line extending from the effective point of connection with the door through the center of the shaft, said shoulders being located nearer the shaft than the pivotal connection between the link and said arm andhaving a relatively large area of contact of flattened contour. I

12. In a dump car having a discharge door pivoted to swing about one edge, the combination with an operating shaft rotatably mounted on the car, said shaft having an arm? extended therefrom; of a link pivotally connected at one end to the door and at its other end to said arm; and cooperable shoulders rigid with the shaft and link respectively, said shoulders being disposed at a point below a line passing through the center of the shaft and the ,pivotal connection with the door, when the door is in closed position, said shoulders conforming approximately to the arc of a circle of relatively of a stiff link pivotally connected at one of its ends to said arm and extending across said shaft when the door is in closed position; means operatively connected to the op-- posite end of said link and interposed between said link and the door'and through which the pull from the loaded door is transmitted to said link; and cooperable shoul-. ders on said link and arm located to one side of a line extending through the center of the shift'and theeflective point of applied pulling load at said point of connection between said means and link;

In witness that I. claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 12th dayofOct.,l921. .H I;

. ARGYLE C MPBELL:

Witnesses: I CARRIE GAILING,

ANN BA ER. 

